Improvement in excavating-machines



2 Sheets--Sheet1. W. 8. LANE.

improvement in Excavating-Machines.

Patented July 30,1872.

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2Sheets--Sh eet2. W. 8. LAN E.

improvement in Excavating-Machines.

No,130,059, Patented july 30 l872.

W em 4 UNITED STATES PATENT v Orrrcn.

WILLIAM s; LANE, or oA no, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF or HIS RIGHT r0 J. w. MGKINNEY,"OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXCAVATING-MACHINES.

pecification forming part of Letters Patent R o. 130,059, dated July 30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM. S. LANE, of

Cairo, in the county of Alexander and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredging-Machines; anddo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing making a part of this specifimeans employed for securing the vertical and lateral adjustment of the pivoted frame.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to produce a cheap, simple, efficient, and portable means whereby the usual operations of dredging or diggingqmay be performed; and it consists, principally, in the peculiar construction and combination of the adjustable and stationary frames, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specifieds. It consists, further, in the means employedfor securing the vertical and lateral'adjustment of the rear end of the operating-frame, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in the construction and combination of the scoop-truck and ways, substantially as and for the purposehereinafter set forth. It consists, further, in the means employed for elevating the scoop, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown and described. It consists, furtther, in the means employed for tilting or dumping the scoop, substantially as is hereinafter specified. It consists, finally, in the means employed for reversing the movement of the drum-shaft that receives and contains the elevating-chain, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

. In the annexed drawing, A and A represent the sides of the adjustable frame, constructed in the form shown in Fig. 1, and connected together by means of two cross-bars, B, passing between its upper edges and two other bars, 0, which extend between the central vertical bar of said sides. The supportingframe is composed of two horizontal side rails, D, secured together at their forward ends by :means of a plate, E, from whence they extend rearward in parallellines, and at their rear ends are secured in relative position by means of two standards, F, which extend vertically upward from said ends, and at their upper ends are connected together by a plate, G, which plate is' formed upon a circle, of which the center is a perpendicular line passing through the transverse and longitudinal center of the plate E, and is provided, centrally and longitudinally, with a slot, g, and

upon its rear edge with a toothed rack, g.

Upon the plate E is placed a corresponding plate, H, from theends of which extend upward two standards, I, that furnish bearings for two shafts (the object of which will be hereinafter explained) and for the adjustable frame, the latter of which is pivoted to or upon said standards by means of two bolts, K,

that pass horizontally through said parts, and

enable said frame to be oscillated in avertical plane, so as to elevate or depress its rear end. The plates E and H are connected together by means of a vertical bolt, L, which forms an axial bearing, upon or around which the ad justable frame may be moved horizontally within the limits allowed by the standards F. The rear end of the adjustable frame is sustained and adjusted to vertical and lateral positions by means of the following-described devices: Resting upon the cross-bar or plate G is a carriage composed of a horizontal plate, M, from which extend vertically upward three standards, m. Within the front standard m is journaled a shaft, N, upon which is aflixed a drum, 0, and a ratchet-wheel, P, the first of which is connected to or with the rearend of the adjustable frame A by means of a chain, 0, while said ratchet-wheel is caused to engage with a pawl, Q, that is pivoted upon and extends upward from the plate M. A spring, q, attached at one end to or upon the plate M,

has its opposite end resting upon the pawl Q, in such a manner as to hold the latter in engagement with the teeth of the ratohet-wh eel. A crank, or other equivalent device, attached to one end of the shaft N, enables the drum to be rotated so as to wind upon or unwind from the same the chain 0, and correspondingly elevate or depress the rear end of the adjustable frame A.

The carriage described is connected to or with the plate Gby means of two bolts, which pass downward through the slot 9 into a plate or gib placed beneath said plate G and spanning said slot g, the relative positions of said parts being such as to permit said carriage to move freely upon said slotted plate.

The lateral adjustment of the carriage and pivoted frame is effected by means of a pinion, it, which is suitably journaled upon the rear standard m of said carriage, and meshes with the toothed rack g. A stud, r, projecting rearward from the'face of the pinion R, enables the latter to be rotated, and, by engagement with the fixed rack, move the carriage in either direction.

The supporting-frame is provided with four wheels, S, which are journaled upon suitable arms, 8, that extend horizoutally'and laterally outward so as to permit said frame to be moved in'alongitudinal direction, which operation is effected by means of the followingdescribed apparatus: Journaled horizontally within the front side of the standards I is a shaft, T upon the central portion of which is secured a drum, U, provided with a concave periphery for the reception of a chain. one end of the shaft T, outside of the standard, is secured a gear-wheel, V,'that meshes with and is driven by means of a pinion, WV, which pinion is attached to a short shaft, X, that is journaled within one or both of said standards I. A loose and a tight pulley, Y, placed upon the outer end of the shaft X, enables the same to be driven by a belt from other parts of the machine. If, now, one end of a chain be secured to some stationary object in front of the machine and said chain passed one or more times around the drum U, it will be seen that by causing the latter to revolve said chain will be wound thereon and said machine moved correspondingly forward. Pivoted at one end to or upon the i mer side of each frame side A, and near its upperforward end, is a flat metal bar, Z, which is bent edgewise into a curve having a somewhat smaller radius than that of the curve of the lower portion of said frame side. The rear end of each way or guide Z is attached loosely to the corresponding portion of the frame side A by means of a bolt, A, which passes laterally and horizontally through a slot in the same and is provided upon its outer end with a head and washer, which, spanning said slot, secure the lateral-positions of said parts without interfering with the vertical movement of said way within the Upon limits of said slot. A rod, 13, extending laterally and horizontally outward from the side of each bar, near its longitudinal center, and thence downward through a suitable openin gin the contiguous portion of the frame, serves to confine said waylin lateral position at that point. Upon the ways Z, thus constructed, is placed a truck consisting of three grooved pulleys, O, journaled in the form of a triangle, upon a suitable plate, D, which plate and pulleys are connected to or with similar parts by means of a cross-bar, E. The distance between the grooves of the opposite series of pulleys being just equal to the span of the ways,the truck is placed upon the latter with two pulleys of each series resting upon the upper edge of a way and the third pulley embracing the lower edge of the same. Upon the shaft or cross-bar E is pivoted a sheetmetal scoop, F, having preferably the form shown, to the forward upper side of which is attached one end of a chain, G, that from thence extends upward and forward to and around-a pulley, H, that is secured upon a shaft, 1, suitably journaled within the upper and forward portions of the frame A.' A second shaft,,K, is journaled within the upper edge of the frame A near its longitudinal center, and is provided with a drum, L, which receives and contains the chain G after the latter leaves the pulley H, so that by causing said shaft and drum to revolve the chain will be wound upon or unwound from the latter, and the scoop drawn forward and upward or permitted to drop downward and rearward. Upon the projecting end of the shaft K is secured a gear-wheel, M, which meshes with and receives motion from a pinion, N, that is in like manner attached to the end of a shaft, 0, which is journaled immediately in rear of said shaft K. Between the frame sides a sleeve, P, provided upon each end with an inward-facing bevel-pinion, p, is placed, upon the shaft 0 and connected therewith radially by means of a key which projects from said shaft, and, fitting into a suitable key-way in said sleeve, enables the same to move longitudinally upon said shaft. Immediately beneath the shaft 0 a shaft, Q, is journaled vertically within the cross-bars (J, and is provided at each end with a bevel-pinion, R and S, which face upward and downward, as shown, the upper pinion R having a suitable size and position to enable it to mesh with the pinions p as either of the latter are brought in contact with said pinion by moving the sleeve upon its shaft. Directly beneath the lower end of the vertical shaft is journaled the driving-shaft T, which is provided with a beveled pinion, U, that meshes with and imparts motion to the pinion S, while upon the end or ends of said shaft are provided pulleys or other suitable devlces for connecting to or with the motive power. If, now, motion is imparted to the driving-shaft T, and the pinions 1) caused to alternately engage with the pinion R, the chain-drum may be caused to rotate in either direction, and" such motion may be changed orentirely Suspended by changing the longitudinal position of said pinions 1) upon their shaft. i

This result is effected automatically by the following-described means zdournaled within suitable bearings at or near the rear upper corners,

of the frame sides A is a shaft, b, which is provided at its longitudinal center with an arm,

W, that extends downward to a point about in a line with the rear ends of the scoop-ways, and is connected to or with the lower side and rear end of the scoop by means of a curved bar, X, which bar extends between and is pivoted at its endsto or upon said parts F and W. I From opposite sides of the shaft V extend horizontally outward two arms or wipers, Y, which, as said shaft is given a semirotary movement in opposite directions, alternately impinge against two arms, 2, that extend horizontally rearward from the ends of a rock-shaft arm, Z, which latter arm is aflfixed to the end of a rock-shaft, A, that is suitably journaled within the rear cross-bar B, said shaft being placed horizontally and in a line with the movement, fore and aft, of the scoop.

. From the lower side of the rock-shaft A two arms, 11, extend downward and apart, so as to form an A-shaped space, within which is contained one end of a lever, B, that is pivoted,

at its longitudinal center, to or upon a crossbar, 0, and has its opposite or forward end contained within a groove, 1), formed within the periphery of the sleeve P. As thus arranged, it will be seen that the semi-rotary a the chain-drum reversed at the instant that the scoop reaches the limit of its stroke in either direction, by which means the continuous motion of the driving-shaft in one direc-' tion is automatically converted into a reciprocatin g movement in opposite directions of said scoop. Suspended from the forward end of the frame A is a spout, D", which from thence extends laterally outward and downward, and into which it isdesigned to discharge the contents of the scoop as it reaches the limit of its upward and forward stroke. In order to accomplish such result it is requisite that the scoop should, just before dumping, be thrown forward so asto slack its chain, and also that the rear end. of said scoop should be elevated. These movements are effected by means of ,an arm,'E, which is secured to the projecting end of the shaft V, and, extending downward, has attached to its end one end of a chain,

- F, the opposite end of which is attached to the small end of a fusee, G, that is placed upon the shaft 0, between the pinion N" and the side of the frame A. As the scoop moves forward the chain F, which was at first slack, runs upon the increasing swell of the fusee G, and at or near the end of the forward stroke of said scoop gains upon the chain G,

and pressing said scoop forward slackens said chain G and causes the forward movement of said scoop to be efi'ected entirely by means of the bar X, by which means, as the upper end of the former passes above the lower edge of the pulley H, a sudden tautenin g of said chain G is effected, so as to tilt downward upon said end, while at the same time.a lifting pressure is applied to the rear end of said scoop and its longitudinal position reversed, so as to cause its contents to pass outward and downward into the discharge-spout. When much work is to be performed it is designed to place two or more of these devices side by side, and by connecting their driving-shafts enable them to be operated simultaneously by one engme.

Although more especially designed for loos- .ening' and raising earth, I do not confine 'myself to such use, as the device is equally applicable to the elevation of grain, coal, or other like substances.

Having thus fully setforth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1s 1. The adjustable frame A and A, the cross bars B and O, the supporting-frame D, E, F,

and G, the plate H, and the standards I, when said parts are constructed and com bined substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The means employed for securing the Vertical and lateral adjustment of the pivoted frame, consisting of the plate Gr provided with the slot g and toothed rack g the carriage M, m, and m, the shaft N, the drum 0, the ratchet-wheel P, the pawl Q, the chain 0, the pinion R, and the stud T, when said parts are constructed and combined substanti'ally as shown.

3. The scoop-truck, consistingofthe grooved pulleys O, suitably journaled upon the plates D, and connected by meansof the cross-bar E, in combination with the ways Z and scoop F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

'4. In combination with the next abovenamed elements, the chain G, the pulley H, the shafts I, K, O, Q, and T, the drum L,

.the gear M, and the pinions N, p, R, S,

and U, when said parts are constructed and relatively arranged substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

5. Incombination with the scoop-truck and ways, the curved bar X, the shaft V, the arms WV and E, the chain F, and the fusee G, attached to and revolving with the shaft 0, substantially as and for'the purpose specifie v 6. The shaft V p1 ovided with the wipers Y, the rock-shaft A provided with the arms have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of Z and z, the lever B", and the sliding sleeve July, 1872. 1 provided with the pinions p, when said WILLIAM S. LANE. parts are combined with each other and with the elevating mechanism, substantially as and Witnesses: for the purpose shown. GEO. S. PRINDLE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I EDM. F. BROWN. 

